The Basics
How many years have you been with your current company? 30 years
First job? Yes, this is my first full-time job in the U.S.
Where were you born? Shanghai, China
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Hunan Province, China, where I attended elementary, middle and high schools as well as college before coming to US for my PhD.
Academic Perspective
Why is ECEDHA important to you?
To me, ECEDHA provides invaluable services in several aspects. ECEDHA’s new chairs workshop provides insightful training and preparations for new ECE chairs. For experienced chairs, ECEDHA provides the community where we share our experiences and forge our common visions in addressing the challenges ECE departments are facing. ECEDHA’s ABET workshop and themed sessions/workshops on education/research are some of the specific examples. Rich resources ECEDHA continues to generate are what keep our community vibrant and rewarding.
What have you found to have been most rewarding in your experience with ECEDHA and the Board position?
With 200 plus members (ECE departments) in US and Canada, ECEDHA is a unique organization that represents important academic disciplines and makes significant impacts through members’ educational and research activities. It brings together the talented leaders to develop a shared vision in moving ECE depts forward. What impress me are the people we get to work with. Among them, the ECEDHA team (i.e., our ECEDHA staff and executive director) have been truly exceptional in their dedication, efficiency and service. It is a honor and privilege for me to be a part of ECEDHA board.
Was there a defining moment in your life that made you choose ECE as a profession?
When I was a kid, I was fascinated by automation and space exploration. When I went to college, I chose ECE because I wanted to study control theory. Over the years, I have had the fortunate of doing research in several fields of controls, including robotics, autonomous vehicles, and electric power systems (now smart grid and renewable energy).
If you had to choose another profession, what would you choose?
I could have also pursued aerospace engineering as a profession.
My favorite class to teach is...
Introduction to Smart Grid. The topic is multi-disciplinary (ranging from energy sources to communication to demand responses) and brings together students from various background and interest. It has attracted students from not only ECE but also ME, Civil, Environmental, Industrial Engineering as well as public policy, etc.
Greatest piece of advice I can offer a student is...
to learn sciences (such as math and physics) and pursue your passion in improving people lives.
Beyond the Desk
I always wanted to travel to...
the space station, and it looks like we could be a space tourist during our life time even though most of us are not lucky enough to be an astronaut.
My favorite movies are:
Star Wars